The present invention relates to a dispensing device for dispensing free-flowing or pourable products, in particular cooled liquid and/or pieces of ice, into a container. Such a dispensing device is disclosed in GB 2 401 169 A, for example. In the case of this dispensing device, a dispenser opening is arranged in the upper region of a recess in which a container that is to be filled can be placed. A receptacle which serves to capture spilt filling product is located at the floor of the recess. In order to be able to empty and optionally clean the receptacle, it can be removed from the recess. Assuming the container that is to be filled has a suitable shape, said receptacle can also serve as a shelf surface for the container during filling.
In order to prevent spattering of the filling product while filling a container, the upper edge of the container must be placed as closely as possible beneath the dispenser opening. In this way, splashes which occur in the container when the filling product is at a low level do not usually come out of the container and, when the filling product level is high, the drop distance of the filling product is so small that splashes hardly occur. Containers which are placed in the recess for filling must therefore be adapted very exactly to the recess, both in their lateral dimensions and in height, in order that they can be filled tidily. All other containers must be held manually beneath the dispenser opening, though this again increases the risk of spillage if the container is not held still.